Tray for infants&#39; training chairs



Dec. 5, 1950 M. H. SCOTT TRAY FOR INFANTS TRAINING CHAIRS Filed Oct. 4, 1948 INVENTOR. Mar/"d7 hidcozt 3W2 Patented Dec. 5, 1950 UNITED STATES NT since TRAY'FOR INFANTS TRAENING CHAIRS MurrayH. Scott, BentonHarbcr, Mich Application-October 1948, Serial No. 52,713

d-fllaims. 1.

Thisinvention. relates to improvements in tray for infants chairs;

The principal objects of this invention are:

First, toprovide atray for'infants chairs which will closely fit the body of an infant. without danger of injury, to: prevent the infant from reaching, beneath or around the edges of the minimize; the chance of pinching the infants fingers and body;

Other objects and advantages relating to the details of the tray will be apparent from a consideration of the following, description and claims and the attached drawings.

, The drawings. of which there is one sheet, illustrate a preferred form of my tray as applied to an infants chair.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the tray installed on aninfants chair.

Fig. .2 is: aplan' view partially broken away of the tray and chair.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective View of one' side-of the tray supporting structure.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the plane of the line 5--5 in Fig. 2.

My tray is designedto be applied to that type of chair used to train infants to use the toilet and known as a training chair. It is also applicable to high chairs used while feeding infants. The drawings illustrate a training chair having a seat I defining an aperture 2 beneath which a pot or other receptacle can be mounted. The seat is supported on a suitable framework 3 having side arms 4 and a back 5. It should be understood that the particular construction of the chair is intended as an example only and that my tray, which will be described in detail is intended to be applied to chairs having various shapes and types of construction.

The tray mounted on the chair consists of a back bar 6 of relatively thin strap-like metal defining a series of transversely spaced holes I. The holes 1 are adapted to receive screws 8 for attaching the back bar to the back 5 of the chair.

2 Each end of the back bar 5 is providedwith an end member 9 of forwardly opening generally U-shaped cross section. The end members are secured to theback' bar as by welding at l-B (see Fig. i"). The lower flanges H of the end members are provided with elongated forward ex-' tensions 52 adapted to overlie and be supported upon the arms 4 of the chair. The extensions define a plurality of holes l3 so that the catchsions may be secured to thearms by-screws, the

holes being positioned over a relatively wide area so that one or more of the holes will register with arms of various widths and spacing;

The right end member 9 defines a series of holes: it spaced longitudinally of the tray and adaptedto selectively receive the pivot pin it by means of which the tray board i6 is adjustably pivoted" on the back member. Both of the end members a are provided with spacer blocks l7 and it will be noted that the spacer blocks terminate short of the forward edge of the end members so that the rear edge of the trayboard will fit in nestingrelationship between the flanges of the end members. The extension I2 on the left end member defines a keeper slot l8" engagcable with the latch underside of the tray board;

The rear edge of the tray board l6 defines a generally U-shaped notch or recess'zll formed (i-continuation of the inner sides of the end members 8, The edges of the recesses 25 are covered" with a'flexiblerubber bumper 2!" to prevent the infant from injuring himself on the edge of the tray board and the inner edges of the end members are provided with similar strips of deformable bumper 22 which form continuations of the bumper 2| when the tray board is in closed position.

A small spring clip 23 is secured to the underside of the tray along the right edge thereof and is adapted to engage the edge of the lower flange 52 of the right end member. Thus when the tray is closed its front edge is held down and it is impossible for the infant to tip it rearwardly and possibly disengage the catch l9.

By proportioning the size of the recess 20 and the length of the end members 9, I provide an opening in the tray which will accommodate the body of the normal size infant. As the infant grows, the size of the opening can be increased by movin the pivot pin It to a more forwardly locatedhole l4 and, in all adjusted positions of the tray, the bumpers 2| and 22 will prevent injury to the infant. The tray board I6 is purposely of relatively broad construction so that i9 carried on the when the infant is in place on the training chair and the tray closed it will be impossible for the infant to reach below the tray, either to release the catch I9 or to investigate the results of his natural efforts as is quite common with most infants. The tray is thus desirable for safety and sanitary reasons, and is applicable to practically any existing training chair.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A tray attachment for an infants chair comprising a horizontal back bar defining a series of apertures therealong for selectively receiving attaching means to attach the bar to the back of the chair, end members on said bar of horizontal forwardly opening U-shaped cross section, spacer blocks secured within the rear portions of said end members, forwardly extending portions on the lower flanges of said end members and defining a plurality of spaced apertures for selectively receiving attaching means to secure said extensions to the arms of a chair, longitudinally spaced pin receiving openings in one of said end members, a tray board selectively securable in a plurality of adjusted positions to said one end member by a pivot pin whereby the rear corners thereof will telescope within said end members, the rear edge of said tray board defining a U- shaped recess in the center thereof, the extended portion of the other of said end members defining a keeper slot, and a catch on the under side of said tray board cooperative with said slot, said tray having a clip secured to its under side and engageable with the edge of the lower flange of said one of said end members in the closed position of said tray.

2. A tray attachment for an infants chair comprising a horizontal back bar defining apertures therealong for selectively receiving attaching means to attach the bar to the back of the chair, end members on said bar of horizontal forwardly opening U-shaped cross section, forwardly extending portions on the lower flanges of said end members and defining apertures for selectively receiving attaching means to secure said extensions to the arms of a chair, a tray board secured to said one end member by a vertical pivot pin whereby the rear corners of said board will telescope within said end members, the rear edge of said tray board defining a U-shaped recess, the extended portion of the other of said end members and the under side of said tray board having a cooperative catch and keeper thereon.

3. A tray attachment for an infants chair comprising a horizontal back bar defining apertures therealong for selectively receiving attaching means to attach the bar to the back of the chair, end members on said bar of horizontal forwardly opening U-shaped cross section, forwardly extending portions on the lower flanges of said end members and defining apertures for selectively receiving attaching means to secure said extensions to the arms of a chair, a tray board secured to said one end member by a vertical pivot pin whereby the rear corners of said board will telescope within said end members, the rear edge of said tray board defining a U-shaped recess, and a clip secured to the underside of said board engageable with the underside of one of said extending portions when said board is closed on both said end members.

4. A tray attachment for aninfants chair comprising a horizontal back portion defining aper-' tures therealong for receiving attaching means to attach the back to the chair, end portions on said back of horizontal forwardly opening U- shaped cross section, forwardly extending portions on the lower flanges of said end portions and defining apertures for selectively receiving- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 207,698 Want Sept. 3, 1878 1,050,205 Conley Jan. 14, 1913 1,167,488 Ferguson Jan. 11, 1916 2,043,287 Dorton June 9, 1949 

